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I We-In magazine and newspaper articles the plural pronoun 'we' is used instead of 'I,' because, as a rule, the writer's name is not given, and the opinions expressed are supposed to be those, not simply of the writer, but of the conductors of the paper. The Edinburgh Review,' in which this essay first appeared, had been for forty years a most influential periodical. The essays of Lord Macaulay greatly increased its power. 3 this book-entitled, Memoirs

of the Life of Warren Hastings,' by the Rev. G. R. Gleig, M.A.

7 impeached-accused; charged him, before the House of Lords, with great public

crimes.

8 uncovered-took off their hats; hats are often worn in the House by members. 14 countenance-favour or support.

adula'tion-praise more than is justly due; flattery.

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without character;

2 insip'id uninteresting.

5 Lely, Sir Peter, 1617-1680, a celebrated portrait painter. 8 magnanimity greatness of mind, from Lat. magnus, great, and animus, mind. 9 characteristic that which distinguishes one person or thing from another.

II curl-pated minions-the favourites of James I., who were foppish in dress, and wore their hair in long curls, like a woman's. Cromwell's party, known as the Roundheads,' wore their hair cropped close. 15 remorse-pain excited by the recollection of guilt. Lat. re, again, and mordeo, I bite. 16 policy—art of managing public affairs. [Greek polis, a city.]

21 pedigree-a list of one's ancestors in regular order. 22 great sea-king-Hasting, who landed in Kent at the head of a number of Northmen; defeated by King Alfred at Farnham, 894.

I Earldom of Huntingdon-On the death of the tenth Earl in 1789, the earldom, which is limited to heirs male, was dormant till 1819, when Captain Hans-Francis Hastings, having proved his descent from the second Earl (1560) and the extinction of all the intervening male descendants, was called to the House of Lords as twelfth Earl, his father being reckoned as eleventh, though he had never claimed the earldom. The singularity of the case is that it succeeded in despite of the claimant himself, and was due to his legal adviser Mr. Bell, who undertook the affair on his own responsibility, and entirely at his own

13 plate-articles made of gold or silver, for use at the table. mint-the Government office for coining money.

15 to ransom-to free from captivity or punishment by the payment of a price.

17 Speaker Lenthal, 1591-1662, the Speaker or Chairman of the House of Commons during its contests with Charles I. 23 rectory-a Church living, consisting of land, the great tithes, &c., for the maintenance of a rector.

27 lawsuits actions in the courts of law to obtain right or justice. tithes-the tenth part of the produce of land and stock formerly allotted to the clergy. Tithes are now paid in money in the form of a rent-charge. [A.S. teothe, a tenth]. 30 Customs-the department of Government charged with the collection of taxes upon merchandise exported or imported.

trib. of the Thames), and a little west of Chipping Norton: 30 intellect. expanded

mental power increased.

32 indomitable-untamable; not to be subdued.

I under

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sun-in India, which, lying partly between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer, has a very hot climate.

3 finance the gathering and spending of the public money. legislation-the act of making laws for a State.

5 chequered-crossed; mingled. obloquy-shame; reproach. 10 liberal education- an education becoming a gentleman, generally including a knowledge of Greek and Latin. 14 seminary—a seed-plot; figuratively a school or college. Westminster School

founded in 1560 by Queen Elizabeth for the instruction of forty scholars in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

16 Vinny (Vincent)

Bourne, 1700-47, chiefly remembered for his Latin poetry.

17 Churchill, Charles, 1731-64, a famous satirical poet. Colman, George, 1733-94, a writer of essays and plays. Lloyd, Robert, 1733-64, a minor poet.

18 Cumberland, Richard, 17321811, a play-writer and Government official; called by Garrick the man without a skin,' because of his extreme irritability of temper. Cowper, William, 1800, a poet, wrote Task,' 'John Gilpin,' &c,

1731

The

8 human depravity-the doctrine that by the sin of Adam and Eve the whole race of mankind had fallen into a state of wickedness.

15 Elijah_Impey, Sir, later on, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at Calcutta. Lord Macaulay represents him as a thoroughly corrupt judge. His evil repute, as well as that of Hastings, may be largely traced to the thorough-going hatred of Francis. Impey was recalled in 1782, and impeached in 1788; died 1812. 19 fag a schoolboy who is the forced drudge of an elder pupil. Impey was really a little older than Hastings. 24 foundation-a gift of money or lands to found and support a scholarship; the scholarship itself.

25 dormitory-a sleeping-room. 28 Christ Church-a college in

Oxford University, founded by Cardinal Wolsey. 30 bequeathing-leaving by will, 31 Chiswick-pr. Chis-ik.

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reasons

I remon'strances strongly urged against a course of action; expostulations. 6 inflexible-not to be bent; unyielding.

an

7 hexam'eter-In most poetry, unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable makes what is called a foot or measure. A hexameter is a line (or verse) of six fect or measures [Gr. hex, six, and metron, a measure]. 8 pentameter a verse of five feet. [Gr. pente, five.] (In the public schools much time was, and is, spent in writing Latin verses; Chiswick thought it time wasted.) 18 Bengal-a province of North

-

East India; 350 miles long and 300 miles broad; one vast fertile plain, with the river Ganges running through it; it produces sugar, silk, cotton, pepper, opium, rice, tobacco, indigo, corn, saltpetre, lac, and civet; contains sixty-nine millions of people; climate, hot and moist; capital, Calcutta.

destination-end of his journey. The voyage in 1750

took from six to ten months. 22 Fort William, the strongest fortress in India; built, in 1757, to protect Calcutta. 24 encroaching policy-settled plan to take possession gradually of what belongs to another.

2 Clive. Robert, Lord Clive and Baron Plassey, 1725-74. Went to India as a clerk, but within two years left his desk and joined the army. His admirable judgment, valour, and respect for lawful authority soon lifted him into notice. At Arcot and Trich'inopoly he gained important victories over the French. In 1757 he laid the foundation of our empire in India by the Battle of Plassey. With about 3,000 men Clive completely routed an army of 50,000 foot and 18,000 horse soldiers under Surajah Dowlah, Nabob of Bengal. The horrible Black Hole massacre was avenged, and the rich province of Bengal fell to the English. As Governor of Calcutta, Clive performed valuable services, for which he was made a peer. In 1767 he returned finally to England. Charges were made against him in the House of Commons by those who viewed with suspicion the great wealth he had acquired; the charges were not proven, yet the fact of their being

The

Mogul -the sovereign of an empire whose capital was Delhi, founded by Baber in 1526. This line of sovereigns ended in 1857, but their real greatness and power departed a hundred years earlier. Afghans, the Rajpoots, and the Mahrattas, three warlike races, quite broke the power of the Mogul Empire. After the death of Aurungzebe in 1707, the old order of things under the Mogul authority began to disappear; the new order,' says Macaulay, I was not yet formed; all was transition, confusion, obscurity. Everybody kept his head as he best might, and scrambled for whatever he could get.' This may serve as an explanation and a defence of many things that happened during the forty years that Clive and Hastings were in India, 1744-85. 15 Orissa and Bahar-two provinces connected with the Bengal Presidency. Bahar is rich in natural productions, having the Ganges flowing through it for 200 miles. Orissa lies farther south, nearer to the Bay of Bengal. 16 the Court the King, his attendants, and chief officials. the harem-the apartments allotted to females in Eastern families; the females themselves.

19 marts a contracted form of the word markets. 25 Surajah Dowlah-xv. 19, 20. 31 Dutch Company-xi. 6. 32 Nabob (a corruption

of Nawab, or Nuwâb = deputy)-— the deputy of the Nizam, who was the viceroy of the Mogul Emperor. When the Mogul Empire fell into decay, many of the Nabobs became quite independent, xiii. 10.

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I citadel a fortress protecting a city.

4 originated the greatness-these events gave him the opportunity of achieving distinction.

5 fugitive Governor-of Calcutta, who had run away for safety.

11 prisoner at large-under detention, but not closely confined.

12 diplomat'ic agent-one who negotiates on behalf of a Government.

14 the treason-General Clive and two natives of position were plotting to dethrone Surajah Dowlah.

16 deliberations-meetings

for

forming and discussing plans. 23 intrepid fearless.

25 mercantile agent-one who buys or sells goods for another. 32 Plassey-in Bengal, ninety

six miles from Calcutta, on the left bank of the river Hoogley. See 8. 2.

Meer Jaffier-an officer in the army of Surajah Dowlah. He plotted with Clive to overthrow his master, and then reigned in his place. Clive supported him against the attacks of the Mogul Emperor. He died in 1765.